Fence stretcher



April 28, 1959 D, FORD 2,884,225

' FENCE STRETCHER l Filed March 20. 1957 2 Sheets-Shea?l 1 ATTOE/VT D.FORD FENCE-VSTRETCHER April 2s, 1959v 2 sheets-sheet 2 Filed Macn 2o,1957 INVENTOR. DAVID FORD United States Patent O" j This inventionrelates to devices for stretching wire or chain link fencing. Moreparticularly, the invention has regard to a device so designed as toengage a stretcher bar connected to one end of a length of wire fencing,

l,with the device being adapted to also engage an adjacent post to whichthe stretcher bar is to be connected follow- Iing stretching ortensioning of the fence wire.

, The device, summarized briey, includes a removable means engageableabout the post and mounted upon an elongated, tubular casing. Rotatablein the casing is a l screw, adapted to be turned by a hand crank or by apower device such as an electric motor. A follower block is engaged withthe screw or threaded shaft, and includes a'removable arm or fingeradapted to project laterally from the casing for engagement with thefence stretcher .bar.' On rotation .of the shaft, the follower block islshifted longitudinally of and within the casing, two ten- Y sion the`fence wire and shift the stretcher bar to a position in which it can beconnected to the post.

, One important object is to provide a device of the character statedthat will be adapted to be swiftly engaged with a fence post andstretcher bar, and operated with maximum speed and ease for the purposeof tensioning the wire.

Another object is to provide removable elements on the device engageablewith the post and stretcher bar respectively. In accordance with theinvention, said elements can be selected according to the particulartype of fencing to be stretched, and according also, to the particulartype of fence post. In this way, the device is universally usable forstretching wire fencing, regardless of the type of fencing or the typeof fence posts on which ,the wire fencing is to be mounted.

Another object is to provide, in a device of the charl lacter stated, aconstruction such that not only can the device be utilized forstretching fencing, but also, can be utilized as a work clamp for benchor field use, or for lany other purposes in which work is adapted to beperformed by shifting relatively movable, work-engaging elements towardor away from each other.

Another object is to provide a particularly improved `construction for adevice of the character stated, such v that the shaft can be rotatedwith maximum ease and .speed, while still being adapted to apply a heavypulling Vforce to the wire being stretched. In this way, it is proposedto adapt the device for both light and heavy duty use, thus increasingmeasurably the various uses to which the device can be advantageouslyput.

Still another object is to so form the device that the assembly ordisassembly thereof can be effected with a minimum amount of difficultyand expense. In this way,

- it is proposed to not only reduce the cost of manufacturev of thedevice, but further, facilitate its maintenance l yand repair by theuser thereof.

. For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objectsandadvantages thereof, reference will be had to the following descriptionand accompanying drawings,

Patented Apr. 28, 1959 and to the appended claim in which the variousnovel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view showing the device applied to a fence thatis being stretched, the fence being illustrated only fragmentarily.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view substantially on line 2-2 of Fig. l, thedevice being illustrated in top plan, portions of the device beingbroken away.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view on the same scale as Fig. 2,taken substantially on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view on the same scale as Fig. 3, takensubstantially on line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view on the same scale as Fig. 3 takensubstantially on line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view on the same scale as Fig. 3, takensubstantially on line 6-6 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view on the same scale asFig. 4, taken substantially on line 7-7 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 8 is an exploded perspective view, still further enlarged, of thefollower block and the removable stretcher-bar-engaging element.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view on the same scale as Fig. 8, of thestretching device per se. j

Fig. 10 is an exploded perspective view showing other removable elementsmountable on the block for adapting the. same for use as a work clamp.

Referring to the drawings in detail, designated at 10 is a fence post.Spaced from post 10 is a post 12, while between the fence posts thereextends a length of wire fencing, such as chain link fencing, designatedat 14 and connected at one end to a support bar 16 connected by clamps18 to the post 12.

Carried by the post 10 are clamps 20, and connected to the other end ofthe fencing 14 is a stretcher bar 22. Referring to Fig. 2, clamps 20have openings 24 while the stretcher bar has openings 26 registrablewith the openings 24 to receive bolts or equivalent fastening elements,not shown.

The stretcher constituting the present invention. has been generallydesignated at 28 and is used for shifting the stretcher bar 22 towardpost 10. This stretches or tensions the wire fencing 14 and when theopenings 24, 26 are brought into registration, the chain link fencingwill have been fully tensioned, so that it thereafter becomes merelynecessary to extend bolts through the registered openings yto completethe tensioning of the fencing and the connection of the same between theposts 10, 12.

The stretcher 28 includes an elongated, hollow casing 30 of rectangularcross section, formed open at its opposite ends. At one end, the casingis closed by an end plate 32 the inner surface of which is integral orotherwise made rigid with parallel connecting bars 34 (Fig. 3), havingthreaded openings receiving screws 36 that extend through smooth-walledopenings formed in opposite side walls of casing 30, thus to lixedlyconnect end plate 32 to the casing.

At its other end the casing 30 is closed by an end plate 38, having aperipheral series of smooth-walled openings receiving screws 40threadable into end recesses formed in the casing 30.

ends with threads 44. Within the casing the shaft 42 has coarse threads46. The shaft extends through openings formed in the end 'plates 32, 38and is adapted to be rotated for the purpose of shifting a followerblock 48 longitudinally of and within the casing.

Block 48 (see Fig. 8) is of a cross-sectional shape complementing thatof the casing. Formed in the block is an end-to-end threaded bore 50,and welded or otherwise fixedly secured to one side surface of the block48 are oppositely but identically formed guide plates 52. These extendlongitudinally of the block 48, fully from end to end thereof. The guideplates 52, as shown to particular advantage in Fig. 8, are formedmedially between their ends with narrow portions. Plates 52 areprogressively increased in width from their midlength portions to theirrespective ends, with the inner side surfaces of the plates 52 beingoblique to the length of the casing. As will be noted, at one end theplates 52 have inner side surfaces converging toward the adjacentextremity of block 4S, while at their other ends, the plates 52 haveinner side surfaces that are similarly convergent in the direction ofthe opposite extremity of the block 48.

The inner side surfaces of the guide plates 52 are undercut as at 53,and there is thus provided at the side of the follower block a dovetailrecess or groove S5 extending the full length of the follower block andprogressively narrowing in width in a direction from its midlength pointtowards its opposite ends.

A work-engaging element is removably connectable to the block 48. Thisincludes a base 54, which is formed with side surfaces that convergetoward one end of the base, said side surfaces being so formed as toprovide a dovetail tongue complementing the groove 55. Integral with thebase 54, and projecting laterally outwardly from the block, is a finger56 which is inclined obliquely to the length of the casing as shown inFig. 2.

The wider, midlength portion of the groove 55 is adapted to receive thebase 54, when the Work-engaging element is to be connected to the block.Then, the base 54 is shiftable toward one end of the groove, and isadapted to thus wedge within the groove. The greater the pulling forceexerted during use of the device, the tighter the wedging action of thebase within its associated groove.

In assembly of the parts so far described, the follower block 48 may beinserted through the left-hand end of the casing, viewing the same as inFig. 3. The shaft 42 is then inserted from the left in Fig. 3 and isthreaded through the bore S), after which the plate 32 is slipped ontothe shaft. A washer 58 is then applied to the projecting, left-hand endof the shaft, bearing against plate 32. A nut 60 is then threaded ontothe shaft, to bear against the Washer.

Inwardly from its other end, shaft 42 is integrally formed with a collar62 abutting against the end plate 38. End plate 38 is positioned on theright-hand end of the shaft, viewing the same as in Fig. 3, after whicha nut 64, having at its inner end a circular shoulder or collar 66, isthreaded onto the shaft, bearing against the plate 38. Formed in thethreaded wall of the nut is a longitudinal wedging groove 68 adapted tobe registered with a longitudinal groove 7 0 formed in the shaft 42, toreceive a wedge-shaped key 72. Key 72 is inserted through the groove 70,and is tapped into place after application of the nut to the shaft.

It will be understood that the nuts are not threaded so tightly againsttheir adjacent surfaces as to prevent free rotation of the shaft 42.

The nut 64 (see Fig. 5) is adapted to receive a sleeve 74 removablyapplicable to the nut and having a noncircular bore complementing theexternal configuration of the nut. Integral or otherwise made rigid withthe sleeve is a crank handle 76 adapted to be rotated by a user duringstretching of the fence. It will be understood that any means can beemployed for rotating the shaft. For example, instead of a hand crankone may utilize an electrical means such as a motor having a drivingconnection to the shaft. Alternatively, a heavy-duty electric drill,having a chuck adapted to receive the nut 64 or shaft 42, can beutilized.

At the end of the casing that receives the crank .there are provided, onopposite side walls of the casing, means for engaging the post 10. Onthe top and bottom walls of the casing there are mounted pairs of guideplates 78, the plates of each pair being similar to the guide plates 52of the follower block (see Figs. 2 and 9). Extending transversely of theguide plates of each pair is a crossbar S0 integral with a dovetailtongue -82 engageable wedgingly in the guide groove dened between theguide plates.

The crossbars project laterally outwardly from the casing, at the sameside as the nger 56 (see Fig. 9) and at their projecting ends are formedwith hooks 84 engageable about the post 10 and opening toward the finger56, said finger being inclined toward the hooks as shown in Fig. 2.

The side wall of the casing from which the finger 56 projects has anelongated, wide slot 85 through which the linger extends, said slotbeing of a width such that the base 54 can be readily positioned throughthe slot for engagement in the groove 55.

The construction, as will be apparent, permits a selected pair ofpost-engaging elements to be Wedgingly engaged in the guide groovesdened between the guide p1ates`73 at the top and bottom of the casing.Further, the construction permits a selected stretcher-bar-engagingelement to be similarly wedged inthe guide groove 55. One can thusselect post-engaging means according to the particular post that is tobe engaged by the device. One lcan then select a particularstretcher-bar-engaging member, according to the particular type ofstretcher bar that is to be moved toward the post.

When the selected elements have been mounted in the manner shown in Fig.9, the follower block is disposed a suflicient distance away from thehooks 84 to permit the finger 56 to be readily engaged against thestretcher bar 22, at the side of the stretcher bar remote from the fencepost (see Fig. 2). Then, with the hooks 84 extended about the post, oneneed merely turn the crank '76 in a direction to shift the followerblock toward the post. The inclined formation of the finger 56 causesthe stretcher bar to be held tightly against the adjacent side of thecasing, while still being moved longitudinally of the casing. Thearrangement, as will be apparent from Fig. 2, so locates the stretcherbar that it will move into engagement with one sde of the clamps 20, toregister the openings 24, 26 at a time when the fence wire i4 has beenfully tensioned. The stretcher bar is then connected to the clamps inthe manner previously described herein.

The device thus is adapted to be used with maximum ease and speed, andit will be apparent that it can lbe employed for stretching any type offence wire. The element 56 can be of any shape, according to the wirebeing stretched, and the same is true of the post-engaging means.

Referring now to Fig. 10, there is here shown a pair of work-engagingmembers, adapted to -be mounted on the device in place of the finger 56and the hooks 84, to adapt the device for Ause as a clamp such as may beemployed on bench work of any type. 'In this instance, there areprovided dovetail tongues 36 adapted to engage in the gooves in place ofthe dovetail tongues 82 of the rst form of the invention. Integral withthe tongues 86 are elongated crossbars 88, adapted to embrace arectangular work-engaging plate or jaw 90, having a serrated face toprevent slippage thereof relative tothe work. Screws 92 or equivalentfastening elements are adapted to be extended through the crossbars 88so as to ixedly mount the jaw 90 between said crossbars.

The jaw 9i) is in confronting relation to a similarly formed jaw mountedupon a dovetail tongue 94 engageable in the groove 55. Integral with andprojecting ,laterally outwardly from the tongue 94 is a member 96, towhich is rigidly secured a jaw 98 having a serrated face opposing thecorrespondingly formed face of the jaw 90.

By reason of this arrangement, the device can be used for clamping aworkpiece between the serrated faces of the jaws, either in the eld orin the shop. As a result, the stretching device has considerableversatility, being adapted not only for stretching wire fencing but alsofor shop work of various types.

It will be understood that various other types of removablework-engaging members can be employed in place of those illustrated anddescribed herein. The device, accordingly, may be considered to have ageneral utility, in any situation in which it is desired to shift onemember toward another member, or in various other situations in which itmay be desired to clamp a work piece securely while various workoperations are performed thereon.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of myinvention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to theprecise construction herein disclosed and that various changes andmodifications may be made within the scope of the invention as dened inthe appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by United States Letters Patent is:

A device engageable between a fence post and a stretcher bar forstretching wire fencing connected to the bar, comprising an elongated,hollow casing, a threaded shaft journalled therein, means to rotate theshaft, a follower block threadedly engaged with the shaft within thecasing for movement longitudinally of the casing responsive to rotationof the shaft, means having a detachable connection to the follower blockfor engaging said bar to shift the same with the follower block, andmeans having a detachable connection to the casing and engageable withthe post for holding the casing thereagainst during said movement of thefollower block, said bar-engaging means including a nger projectinglaterally outwardly from the casing to bear against one side of thestretcher bar, said post-engaging means including a 35 1,313,256

pair of hooks projecting laterally outwardly from the casing in the samedirection as the iinger, and extendable at least partially about thepost, said bar-engaging and post-engaging means respectively furtherincluding guide plates arranged in pairs with one pair upon the followerblock, and the remaining pairs upon opposite walls of the casing, theguide plates of each pair dening therebetween wedging grooves, theplates of each pair of plates being formed medially between their endswith narrow portions, said plates being each progressively increased inwidth from its midlength portion to its respective ends with an innerside surface of each plate being oblique to the length of the casing,each pair of said plates having opposed inner side surfaces convergingtoward each other at opposite ends of the plates, said inner sidesurfaces being undercut to provide dovetail recesses extending the fulllength of said plates, said recesses progressively narrowing in width indirections from their midlength points towards the opposite ends of theplates, the nger and hooks including bases wedgably engageable in thegrooves, said hooks further including crossbars extending transverselyof the casing and rigid with the base of the hooks, the crossbarsmerging into hook portions forming the parts of the hooks engageableabout the post, whereby said bases are wedged with increasing force insaid recesses in both directions of movement of said block toward andaway from hooks.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS900,726 Gwynne Oct. 13, 1908 1,133,156 Kinzey Mar. 23, 1915 1,159,906Dewees Nov. 9, 1915 Cannon Aug. 19, 1919

